Bomber Jacket Guide

You don?t need to be flying a badass plane in the air force to jump into one of their best items of clothing: the bomber jacket.

Leather or nothing

Bomber jackets are most commonly available in nylon or leather. Always go for leather. Nylon can be practical, but it?s far more practical than a civilian needs. Leather is more comfortable, and more importantly it looks better. Turn up your nose at any bomber jacket that isn?t leather, or at least a very good imitation of it. Any shade of leather is fine. Light brown leather is very 1970s, but don?t let that put you off. Keep your look modern and sleek, and maybe don?t have a bushy 70s facial hair if you?re going to go with brown leather.

Fuzzy vs. bald

Bomber jackets with a furred collar have two advantages over those lacking. Firstly, they?re warmer. Secondly, they look better. Bomber jackets without fur usually zip all the way up and have a mandarin collar. Doing it all the way up, including the collar, is honestly hideous. No matter what your body shape, this is the least flattering look you could ever go for on a jacket. For this reason alone, bomber jackets with a furred collar are preferable. A quality leather bomber jacket is even more divine with a shearling collar.

Getting a perfect fit

Bomber jackets are a great trick for skinny guys to bulk up without ever hitting the gym- all those pockets and the thick fabric make you look bigger than you are. You don?t need to be slim to don a bomber jacket though; they suit all body types as long as you get a decent fit. Watch out for length and shoulder width. A bomber jacket should hit the top of your hips, and have just enough give for you to comfortable move your shoulders. You should be able to zip it up without having to suck in your stomach, and it should have enough material that it doesn?t have to stretch over your abdomen at all when it?s zipped.

Some bomber jackets have elastic around the hem and cuffs- which adds another dimension to your jacket, but provides more challenge in getting the right fit. The elastic shouldn?t have to stretch at all while you?re wearing it. If you need to squeeze your hands through the wrist elastic, it?s not the right fit for you as eventually the cuffs will become stretched out.

What to wear it with

Bomber jackets, being quite puffy, look neat with snug pants. Fitted blue jeans paired with a bomber jacket make for a killer look on most guys. Maybe throw on a scarf to give your outfit a softer touch.

The top you wear under your bomber jacket should be fairly unnoticeable- you want all eyes on your jacket. You don?t want anything with a collar. A plain, long sleeved top in a muted color is ideal. It?s fine to wear a tee shirt, but not one with a graphic print.